a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control switch intended for use in posture adjustment of automotive mirrors.
b) Related Art Statement
The conventional control switches of this type disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,698,463 and 4,698,464 (both issued on Oct. 6, 1987), comprise a plurality of fixed contacts disposed on a substrate, two sets of electrically conductive bridge-connected moving contacts disposed slidably on the substrate for electric connection between predetermined ones among these fixed contacts, and a push plate used for sliding these two sets of moving contacts on the substrate. In such a switch, however, since the bridge-connected moving contacts are slid on the substrate to electrically connect predetermined ones, to each other, among the fixed contacts, ample consideration has to be given to the wear and abrasion resistance of the moving and fixed contacts. Furthermore, since the operating member, for selection of the right or left which is to be adjusted, is provided independently from the push plate, the car driver has to operate separate operating members for selection of a right or left mirror, and for four-way posture control of the mirror surface of the mirror selected, respectively. This process during driving, is likely to be annoying and is not preferable for enhancing safe driving.
To overcome the disadvantages of the control switch using the above-mentioned electrically conductive bridge-connected moving contacts, a control switch is known from, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,662 (issued on Mar. 28, 1989), in which a plurality of electrically conductive ball-shaped moving contacts and a plurality of fixed contacts on a wiring pattern printed on a substrate (will be referred to as "PCB" hereafter) are electrically connected to each other by means of an operating shaft, a switching disk slidable by tilting the operating shaft, or a rotary cam rotatable by rotating the operating shaft through a predetermined angle, and a plurality of sliders each holding an actuating rod and the plurality of ball-like moving contacts, with the latter held in a rolling manner. In such a control switch, each actuating rod is formed integrally with the slider and when each actuating rod is pushed down by the switching disk or rotary cam, the pair of electrically conductive balls are slid on the PCB while being in contact with each other, thereby closing or opening the switch circuit for an intented control of mirror posture. In such a control switch, however, the plurality of fixed contacts are formed on both sides of the PCB, while the ball-like moving contacts are also disposed so as to roll correspondingly on both sides of the PCB. Further, the switching disk slides, or the rotary cam rotates, in a plane nearly perpendicularly to the PCB. Therefore, the energy transmission system is so complicated in structure that the tilting or rotation of the operating shaft cannot be converted directly to the rolling of the ball-like moving contacts. Along with the advancement in technical level of automotive electrical equipment, and the parts relevant to automobiles, the performance required of the control switches is correspondingly higher. Namely, it is required that the switching operating of the control switch should be more smooth, the whole structure of the control switch be more simplified, and the reliability of the switch operation be further improved.